The 15 Cheapest Franchises You Can Start Today

If you’re tired of the 9-to-5 grind, want to be your own boss or fancy yourself an entrepreneur, owning a franchise might be ideal for you.

Such a venture can be costly. However, as the Franchise Business Review’s recently released “Top Low-Cost Franchises of 2017” ranking shows, many less expensive options are available.

In “Could You Profit With a Franchise? Consider These 11 Pros and Cons,” we detailed the potentially steep costs associated with launching a franchise. They include expenses you wouldn’t have to pay if you started your own business from scratch — such as buying into the company.

As we reported, a McDonald’s franchise requires an initial investment of $1 million to $2.2 million, and a UPS Store requires $178,000 to $403,000.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Franchise Business Review, a market research firm, ranks 80 brands — all of which require a minimum investment of less than $100,000 — based on survey data from 13,000 franchisees representing 123 brands. “Only brands whose franchisees ranked them highly made the cut,” the firm explains.

Franchise Business Review continues:

“Starting your franchise research with franchisee approved brands helps to increase your chance of success. You’ll notice as you review the list of Top Low-Cost Franchises that there is one for every budget and interest.”

The No. 1 ranked brand is 9Round Kickboxing, whose franchisees own 9Round fitness and kickboxing gyms. The startup investment is $66,600 to $102,700.

A number of even less expensive franchises made the list as well.

For example, of the 10 highest rated franchises, Baby Boot Camp requires the lowest startup investment — $4,570 to $10,800. It franchisees offer what the company describes as “fitness, nutrition, and community support for moms,” such as 60-minute “stroller fitness classes” for pregnant women, new moms and moms of stroller-age children.

The top 15 brands on Franchise Business Review’s list are:

1. 9Round (fitness and kickboxing gyms)
2. A All Animal Control
3. ActionCOACH (business coaching)
4. Aire-Master (odor control and commercial hygiene services)
5. Amazing Athletes (children’s sports programs)
6. American Poolplayers Association (amateur pool league)
7. Apex Fun Run (student leadership development)
8. Assisting Hands Home Care
9. Auto Appraisal Network
10. Baby Boot Camp
11. CarePatrol (senior housing placement service)
12. College Hunks Hauling Junk (junk removal and moving services)
13. Complete Weddings & Events (wedding and event services)
14. Cruise Planners (travel agency)
15. CruiseOne (travel agency)

If a minimum investment of thousands of dollars still sounds like a lot of money, remember that financing is out there — see “Ask Stacy: Where Do I Find the Money to Start a Business?”

To learn more about starting your own business, check out:

• “25 Hobbies That You Can Turn Into Moneymakers“
• “5 Questions Before Turning Your Hobby Into a Business“
• “7 Reasons Why Your Small Business Should Incorporate“

Would you ever consider becoming a franchisee? Let us know why or why not by commenting below or on our Facebook page.